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W. H. GRAY. Planing-Machines. N0. 142,460. PatentedSeptember2,I873.

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Planing-Machines. No. 142,460. PatentedSeptember2,1873.

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Planing-Machines.

N0. 142,460. PatentedSeptember2,1873.

,,I s l In rend-0 UNITED STATES PATENT Gretna.

WILLIAM H. GRAY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SOLOMON A. WOODS, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN PLANlNG-MACHINES Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 142,460, dated September 2, 1873; application filed March 5, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,.WILLIAM H. GRAY, of

Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Planing Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawin gs which accompany and form feed-rolls geared to run together by gears at one -or both ends of one roll meshing into gears which are driven by gears meshing into and driving the gears upon one or both ends of the other roll, the connecting-gears being placed upon shafts mounted in stationarybearings, whilethe shafts or gudgeons of the feedrolls rotate in movable, or relatively movable, bearings, that permit the rolls to approach or separate, in accordance with the thickness or varying thickness of the stock, the boxes of the upper roll being preferably connected with weighted levers, by means of which the pressure is brought to bear upon the upper roll, which pressure may be regulated by movement of the weights. As the rolls are generally mounted and arranged the pressure of the upper roll is equal upon the stock, if the stock is entered at the center of the rolls; but if it enters at either side of the center the pressure is unequal, as the rolls only separate at such side, or separate unequally, the entrance of the stock causing separation at the point of entrance, while the weight .at the opposite end of the roll tends to press such end down, the result being an angular separation, and a consequent unequal bearing or pressure upon the respective parts of the lumber. This gives to the lumber a tendency to feed angularly and away from the guide, and prevents its proper presentation to the ton going and grooving or reducing cutters. The unequal separation of the rolls also produces angular strain upon thegear-teeth, under which strain the teeth are apt to break.

i In my invention I have sought to remedy these difficulties; and I effect the desired result by combining with the mechanism that supports the respective boxes of the upper or presser-roll, and produces and regulates pressure of the roll, a connecting mechanism, by which the movement of either box. insures a corresponding movement of the opposite one, and a consequent uniform pressure of the whole bearing-surface of the roll upon thestock, at whatever point it may enter the rolls.

In the ordinary arrangement one box may move to, or nearly to, the extent of its capability of movement, while the other remains stationary but with my invention they must move as one, unless the mechanism is purposely arranged for relative movement; and my invention consists, primarily, in combining with the presser-roll a link, lever, or connecting mechanism, by which both boxes of the presser-roll have simultaneous and equal movements, and the roll a consequent uniform pressure throughout its length.

The drawing represents a feed-roll mechanism embodying the invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical section on the line at w of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 shows the mechanism in elevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 2 a of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a modification. Fig. 5 is a view of the rock-shaft and weighted lever. I

a. denotes the frame; I) c, the two feed-rolls. The journals of the lower roll 0 rotate in boxes d, which may be adjusted by screws 6, and the journals of the upper roll rotate in verticallymovable boxes It. On the lower roll shaft or journals'aregears g, which mesh into and,

drive gears f, said gears f meshing into and driving gears i, which, in turn, engage with and drive the gears 70 of the upper roll, the intermediate gears t f being fixed on the intermediate shafts l, rotatingin stationary bearings. Each box h of the upper or presser roll is supported by pivotal screws or pins jj upon the tops of vertical slide-rods m, sliding in guide-boxes n, the rods being connected at foot by a cross-bar, o, and the two bars 0 0 being connected to levers p 12, hearing weights q q, by the. stress of which the presser-roll is drawn down to increase its pressure, and by movement or adjustment of which this pressure may be regulated. This connection is ef footed as follows: A shoe, 1', mounted upon each lever, has extending up from it rods 8 8,-

- ver being grooved at the back of this slot, and

a collar upon the screw extending into the groove, permitting the screw to turn, but keeping the screw in position vertically, or the lever and screw relatively immovable as to vertical position. By raising the weighted lever, upward movement is imparted to the end of the lever t, and through it to the screw c, bar 0, slide-rodsm, and journal-box h. This movement might be imparted to one box only, if the two levers t it acted independently one from the other, or if there were no connection between the two boxes; but, to insure equal movement of both boxes, the two .levers t t are pivoted at the center by a pin, 10, one end of each lever being connected with the mechanism of the box at the same side of the machine, and the other end resting upon or being pivoted to the housing-frame at the opposite side of the machine, the result being that, as either lever t is moved up or down, it imparts a coincident movement to the opposite lever, insuring the equal movement of both boxes, and of the whole length or every part of the presser-roll journaled in said boxes. By withdrawing the pivot-pin w each box k may act independently of the other; but, when connected, the uniform pressure of the roll over the whole face of the stock is insured. To adjust the extent of downward movement of the resser-roll the screw-shafts e have at their tops bevel-pinions 00, which pinions mesh into bevel-pinions 3 on a cross-shaft, z, turning in stationary bearings, rotation of this shaft raising the journal-boxes h or letting them fall, and determining the distance of the presserroll from the bottom roll when the presser-roll is in itslowest position. The supporting mechanism for the opposite boxes may be otherwise connected to produce the uniform movement and pressure of the roll; but I prefer the organization substantially as shown.

,"In Fig. 4 each screw is shown as connected to a horizontal arm, a, of a three-armed lever, 19, having two vertical arms, said lever being pivoted to a stationary projection from the frame a, and each vertical arm of the lever beingconnected to the arm of the other lever, extending in the opposite direction, so that the two connecting-links cross, such connection insuring the same movements of both screws. The horizontal arms of the threearmed levers might be jointed to the bars 0 or to the rods m; but, preferably, they are jointed as shown in Fig. 4.

In- Fig. 5 the connection is made between the levers p by a horizontal rocker-shaft having projecting from its opposite ends arms jointed by links to the weighted levers. In such case, as with an arrangement similar to what is shown in Fig. 5, the levers t would be dispensed with, and each elevating screwshaft 12 would be kept in place by suitable collars upon the shaft above and below a cross-plate that connects the rods. The boxes h of the presser-roll are pivoted upon the tops of the slide-rods an by screws, which permit the box to move vertically in the vertical plane of the rolls, and the rods fit to and slide in the vertical boxes a made in a stationary housing-frame, the connection of the box-supporting rods and their cross-bars with the levers if being effected as described. This arrangement insures perfect freedom of vertical movement of the boxes by connections that are strong, simple, and enduring.

The pivotal screws jj, it will be seen, are in the plane of the axis of the prcsser-roll. This avoids all injurious consequences incident to placing the bearings above the axis of the roll, or to connecting the rods rigidly to the boxes, such as the difficulty or impossibility of preserving parallelism of the roll, strain and wear of the axis, journal, and vertical rods, &c.

I claim 1. In combination with the presscr-roll, supported by or upon independent boxes, the connecting-levers t t, to insure uniform pressure, substantially as described.

2. The combination of rods for guiding and supporting the upper roll-boxes with weighted levers connected by links to a rock-shaft, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. As a means for connecting each box h and its lever 11, the combination of the rods m m, jointed to the box, the bar 0, rods 8 8, screws 1;, and yoke r.

Executed this 4th day of February, A. D. 1873.

\Vitnesses:

FRANCIS GOULD, M. W. FRornINGIIAM.

WM. H. GRAY. 

